Man's Best Friend
by Angelustatt
Summary: Sabbathverse. Missing scene from 4.20. As things become darker for the Winchesters, Sabbath knows what is expected of him.


_AN: Not entirely sure if I'm happy with this one...but it still says what it was meant to. This scene comes at the end of the Rapture...or maybe even the very start of When The Levee Breaks. You decide. Hope it works on some level any way. The next fic for this verse will be up soon. Thanks as always to LovinJackson. ;) _

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The Auto yard was almost silent except for the crickets chirping and the occasional bark of a dog, somewhere in the distance. It offered relief; sheer knee buckling relief, compared to the screaming that was heard inside Bobby's house right now.

Sam's screaming.

Dean chugged back what was left of his beer and pitched the empty bottle into the darkness, hearing it shatter somewhere in the shadows. Three more bottles sat beside him and it was almost tempting to just dive straight into another one…and then another…and another. Until he was so rolling drunk, that Dean couldn't hear Sam anymore. Until he couldn't think anymore.

How could Sam do this to him? To himself? Drinking demon blood? Was he really letting Ruby lead him that far off the reservation? Had Sam really let himself fall that far into the darkness he said he felt inside him?

There was a soft nudge against Dean's knee and he looked down from his seat on the fender of the old Buick, to see Sabbath staring at him. The German Shepard was now three times the size he had been that first day when Sam had walked in the door with a growling ball of fluff. All long, gangly legs and adolescent body that was already on it's way to filling out. He was going to be one solid dog once he stopped growing and finally fit into his huge paws.

"What are you doing out here? I thought Bobby gave you a t-bone in the kitchen, buddy?" Dean reached down and ruffled the fur on Sabbath's neck.

Sabbath brought a paw up and placed it on Dean's leg, giving a half whining bark as he watched his master. The screaming had driven the dog from the house, knowing the effect it had been having on both his masters. His loyalty was to Dean and Sabbath knew that what Sam had done with the blood drinking was wrong. He knew that whatever was happening in that metal room Bobby had locked Sam in, it was supposed to be helping him. But Sabbath didn't understand why it had to happen in the first place? He didn't understand why Sam choose to run with Ruby, to let her be pack leader instead of Dean? Dean was family, he was a pack member. Sam's loyalty should have been to his brother…shouldn't it?

Castiel had told Sabbath while Dean was lying hurt in hospital, that he needed to try and show Sam what he was becoming…

Sabbath had liked the Angel. He liked feeling of peace he got from Castiel and the fact that he understood everything he said. Until he suddenly wasn't Castiel anymore. Sabbath had led Dean and Sam to him, finding Castiel lying amongst rubble in a building. The whole place had given Sabbath a bad feeling…like something very powerful had been there and it had his canine sixth senses going off the charts.

But then Castiel had spoken…and Sabbath hadn't understood a word of it. He had smelt different too. Human. Calling himself Jimmy. It had been confusing for Sabbath…but not as confusing as when Jimmy became Castiel again. Sabbath had been happy to have Castiel back, to be able to understand him again…until he had spoken to Dean.

"_I serve Heaven, I don't serve Man. And I certainly don't serve you." _

Those words had hurt and confused both Dean and Sabbath. Why would Castiel not want to help Dean? Where was his loyalty? Nothing was making sense anymore beyond the fact that everyone seemed to be leaving Dean. Sam was sneaking out more, Castiel was suddenly gone…Sabbath had taken to shadowing Dean's every move, watching out for his master. Making sure that he wouldn't feel alone.

Following what the strange man called Chuck had said to him. Sabbath hadn't known who the man was, but he had been kind and for some strange reason, Sabbath had been able to understand him like he could Castiel. Did that mean he had wings too? He hadn't smelt like Castiel or that other one called Uriel that Sabbath hadn't trusted. But there had been something about Chuck. He wasn't like any other human Sabbath had met.

"_You know, you'd have to be the weirdest thing I ever wrote in these books." Chuck confessed to the dog as he slipped him another piece of cold hamburger. "I thought it was a little too Disney, you know?" He'd paused then, his face screwing up for a moment. "No…I guess you wouldn't." _

_Sabbath cocked his head to one side, still surprised he could actually understand him too. _

"_But Dean took a real shine to you, huh? Sam too…and that's good, boy. That's real good. Cause they need you. Dean needs you." Chuck told him, breaking off another piece of burger and resting it on his knee. He watched as Sabbath sat waiting patiently for the signal from him, drool beginning to drip from his muzzle. "Okay, it's yours."_

_Sabbath took the burger instantly, then sat down to await another piece. Dean and Sam were still talking with Castiel in the other room about what had happened before with something called an Archangel. Sabbath understood enough to know it was something to fear. _

"_I wish I could warn you about what's coming. I really do. You, Dean and Sam? It's gotta stick together. You need to keep them together, Sabbath. You get me? I know you can understand me. I wrote that…not that it makes me feel any better for talking to a dog, you know?" Chuck looked awkward then, rolling his eyes before he continued. "Great, now I'm rambling. Look…just…just keep them together okay? Watch their backs for them, boy." Chuck gave Sabbath a watery smile as he slipped the rest of the burger to the dog. _

Watch their backs. It was something Sabbath would do without being told. Because they were his pack members…his family…his masters. His love for Dean and Sam ran deep, no matter what he had to face for them. He would fight for them, put himself between them and the darkness.

But right now, all he could do, was offer Dean his company.

"I know, Sabbath…I know, dude. I couldn't stay in there either." Dean let himself slide off the fender, dropping to the ground and leaning against the Buick behind him. His hand draped over the German Shepard as Sabbath lay down beside him and placed his muzzle on Dean's leg.

"I just don't get it, Sab. All the lying, the secrets. I don't understand why Sam can't be straight with me. Why he thinks he can keep things from me, boy?" Pain was filling Dean's voice now. The pain of betrayal. After everything he had been through for his brother. Dying for him, going to Hell so that Sam would live…he felt like he was losing Sam anyway. And not just to the demon blood, but to the skanky demon bitch who had been feeding it to him. "I'm losing him, Sabbath. I don't know who I can trust anymore. Sam's lying to me. Cas is…well, I don't know what the hell's happened to Cas. I don't know what he wanted to tell me? What I've signed myself up for? It scares the hell out me, boy."

Sabbath didn't make a sound. He simply nuzzled Dean's leg, stating that he was listening, letting Dean know that he wasn't alone right now. Dean didn't show his emotions like other humans did. Sabbath knew that. He had watched his master lock away the pain and hurt he felt. The fear. Trapping it deep inside him until it festered like a infected wound. The sort of wound that gave Dean those nightmares Sabbath had become accustomed to. The ones that would wake Sam up too, but never be spoken of between the brothers.

And that was what confused Sabbath the most. He watched the way Sam looked at his brother, the way Sam was when his guard was down. Sam obviously loved his brother. It was something that Sabbath was sure of as much as he as sure of his own loyalty to Dean. But there was a division growing between them that Ruby was responsible for and if Sabbath could find the demon, he would tear into her. The fear he had felt as a younger dog had now grown into a deep hatred for Ruby and what she had brought down on his pack. A hatred he shared with Dean towards her.

From deep within the house, a scream sounded. It barely carried out to where Dean and Sabbath were sitting, but it struck home like a physical blow to Dean. The hunter tensed up, his breath sucking in sharply, a tear spilling silently down one cheek. His brother was hurting and it was like a knife to Dean's heart with every scream. Every desperate plea Sam had given Dean earlier to be released.

Was he doing the right thing? Was this the way to help his brother? Dean didn't know anymore. He wasn't even sure there was a way to help his brother. His father's words came back to Dean and as hard as it was, Dean intended to honour those words. But more and more, Dean was wondering what he was trying to save anymore. Would Sam understand why he was doing this? That he loved the kid too much to watch him become a monster?

Sabbath lay completely still now. There was nothing to be done but stay by Dean's side. To try and offer some small measure of comfort where really, there was none. He felt as helpless sitting here beside Dean…as Dean felt about Sam right now.

The darkness was coming. A deep pit growing in Sabbath's belly that begged him to run. To follow his instincts and run for his life. But as Sabbath felt Dean's hand snag deeply into his fur, seeking comfort, seeking someone he could trust, the dog knew he would never leave Dean's side.


End file.
